Luck of the Devil
by PunkiePenguin
Summary: Alex Rider wanted to give up. No such luck...
1. Religious Mute

**OK, first FanFic. Bare with me, when it comes to computers I****'****m a slow learner. I think I have just about managed to work out the chapter thing, but it took me a while****…**** Told you I was slow.**

**But anyway, I****'****m just gunna disclaim Alex Rider and all the other characters you recognise, because, whether I like it or not, I don****'****t own them. I do however own ****'****William Payne****'****. Steal him and I might just have to haunt you. **

**Happy reading****…**

**Luck of the Devil. . .**

**Chapter 1: Religious Mute**

William Payne knelt down. He clasped his immaculate gloved hands together and began to pray. He prayed at least ten times a day. This was extra- he was hoping for the best, the best news. He willed God to allow him to continue his plan and rid the world of the evil child. He just hoped and prayed and wished, muttering under his breath. His slaves couldn't hear him, but that was good. For no mortal had heard William Pane speak for the past eleven years. That was soon to change though. Well, it wouldn't in William's insane mind, but to the rest of the world the man's strange habits would differ. For some reason he was going to talk to a child. Why? Nobody knew. And he wasn't planning on telling them anytime soon.

Payne got up. His old knees creaked under his small weight, moaning at him, wanting him to stop kneeling in front of the Lord so often. Payne had serve arthritis in his knees. He should have been getting medication, but Payne wanted the pain: to remind him of the pain Christ had suffered before his death. He climbed back onto his throne. A curt nod of his head told his slaves what he wanted. To them, it was pretty much obvious. They had worked for him all of their lives, they thought they knew him- but really they only knew his basic needs, his simple daily schedule. Inside, William Payne was much more complicated. They lifted him up like an Egyptian king and carried him to the back of the church. Once again, they set him down on the ground. He climbed off and waved his hand signalling for them to leave him and his visitor alone.

Payne and the visitor couldn't have been more different. Payne's face was old and wrinkly- moulded by his disturbing story. They visitor was young, with a smooth face and no sign of age, he could just have left high school. Payne's hair was thinning, grey. The visitor had thick jet black hair, with a few strands falling in front of his eyes. But it was their eyes that made them the same. Both of them had a dark dangerous look, showing the pain of what they had witnessed, what they had done. On they outside they may have looked different, but inside, they both shared the same guilt, the guilt they had spent their lives ignoring, tucking away in the corners of their minds.

Payne didn't acknowledge his guest . In fact, if he had, the young man would have turned and left, because he knew from experience that Payne wouldn't even look at him. And if Payne did give him a glance then it would almost certainly be an impostor. If that was the case the man would flee and not come back- as a hired assassin, you had to be careful! "Good afternoon, Mr Payne." the man started. He did not pause to wait for a reply, it was fact- he wasn't going to get one, "I have what you wanted." still Payne did not look at his visitor or pay any attention to him what so ever, "Exactly as you asked for. The file has information on the child since birth. It is as your put in the letter- they have been keeping an eye on him. I'm sure you will find the information interesting, perhaps a little familiar. And, of course, as you demanded, I have the picture. I took it personally, having confirmed that this was the child you were after. It seems he may a little harder to snatch than you thought, but we will see what he is like at the time of the abduction." the young man did not sound pleased with himself. He actually sounded rather bored- this did not seem to be his ideal job. But that didn't matter to Payne. This was only phase one, there was much more to come and perhaps his favourite killer might enjoy that more. It didn't matter anyway, the young man was doing it whether he liked it or not. If he refused to obey, Payne would have him killed. It may cause him a loss, but Payne could find a new operative. One more obedient, like his faithful slaves.

Payne snatched the file, took a quick look at it, then, without giving the man any sort of salute, walked away into his office, "I'll see your secretary on my out. I assume you've written me my next lot of instructions. Ok, I'll pick them up. Goodbye Mr Payne. I hope to see you again very soon." Payne stood in the door way of his office and watched the young man stride away. He smiled to himself. Phase two. He turned round, walked to his desk and sat down. He set the newly printed files down and began to read. He was surprised at what he read. And this child still hadn't given up. Yes, his theories were true. And so was what everyone said about the boy. Slowly, Payne removed his clean white gloves. He set them dead straight next to each other and smoothed out the creases. It was only than that he started tracing the lines of the child's face. He read the caption beneath: 'the luck of the devil'.

"Alan," a middle aged woman sat down at her desk. She held a piece of paper giving her all the information she needed about the break in, "It is as you feared, he's wanted once again." the man, named Alan, looked up,

"They took it? His file?" Mrs Jones nodded, "And the first video of him in the breakers yard. Are you planning on telling him?" she didn't look up from her paper work; she had to memorise it before it was incinerated, "No. I think not. He has been through enough. All he needs is some discreet protection. No doubt he will be expecting us to follow him for the next few weeks anyway, so even if he does see us, he shouldn't be too alarmed."

Mrs Jones looked up, "How many agents do you want?" Alan considered this question carefully, they were low on agents without Alex, and many of their investigations would be hard to operate, but as always MI6 would cope, "The boy can protect himself, he did not receive many injuries after that last assignment, but still- two. As well as one on call, just in case- we may need Alex Rider when he is older."

Alan typed a few more words on his computer, "Please contact Smithers and ask him to prepare some things- no doubt he will be disappointed they're not for Alex, but he shall have to do as I say, after all it is to protect the boy in the long run. I need them soon."

Mrs Jones nodded again, she was still reading the report, "You want to use Alex again?" she sounded surprised, "I thought we had an agreement?"

Blunt nodded, "Yes, Mrs Jones, I believe we did, but I can't help it if he wants to follow this career when he come of age. I will not turn him away. Would you be more comfortable if it was his choice to work for us?"

"Yes. I just still don't like the idea of us using a fourteen year old boy. I know he's useful, but he's changed. He's not the Alex Rider you recruited for the StormBreaker mission, Alan, just remember, the fact he no longer feels like a child is your doing." Alan Blunt started typing again, "Mrs Jones, Alex Rider would have found out somehow. This is a boy that climbed out of a fifteenth story window just to find out what was in his uncle's office. He wasn't a normal boy to begin with."

"I know, Alan. But he's not a boy anymore!"

Less than four miles away Alex Rider climbed onto his bike. There were people milling around him. Chatting to friends. Trying to locate their keys. Ringing their parents begging for a lift home to escape from the pouring rain. But Alex was already on his way home. And besides he had no one to come and collect him. Only Jack. And she didn't have a car. He kicked off splashing a group of girls. They squealed and one of them called out: "I'll tell Sabina!" that was Jessica Hornthorpe. She was one of Sabina's best friends and had taken a liking to Alex when she found out that he and Sabina were mates. He ignored this comment and skidded round the school gate, not looking back, despite the fact it would be the last time he saw the school this year. He couldn't wait to get home and fling his tie into his wardrobe for the duration of the Christmas holidays.


	2. Girls!

**I'm guessing that you liked the first chapter (either that or you thought it was so bad that it was hilarious) else you probably wouldn't have kept reading. Well thanks whatever the reason. **

**Anyway, second chapter. It isn't that lovey dovey, but still… feel free to complain. I don't mind if you think it sucks. I think it is a bit shorter than the first. And I don't like the title either… **

**I'll shut up now…**

**Luck of the Devil…**

**Chapter 2: Girls**

Alex helped himself to a glass of coke and then sat down. He blew his fair hair out of his eyes. Jack looked round, "You really should get that cut." she commented. True Jack's bright spiky red hair was beginning to look shorter than Alex's, but it didn't matter Alex liked his hair as it was- even if Jack was a girl! "Nah. . ." Jack sighed at this, but went back to chopping the cucumber, "When's Sabina coming?" Alex asked. He took a piece of tomato out of the salad bowl on the table, Jack turned round at that exact moment and mockingly slapped his hand. Despite this Alex popped the tomato in his mouth, "I told you this morning." Jack replied, reluctantly turning back to check the chicken in the oven, "Huh," Alex snorted, "You expect me to remember back to this morning?" Jack sighed, "Six. And I thought your uncle had a short memory!" there was silence for a few seconds, "Sorry." Jack muttered. Alex shook his head, "Don't worry about it."

Alex's uncle, Ian Rider, had been killed about nearly a year ago after being shot by Yassen Gregorovitch, a friend of Alex's dad- or that is what Yassen had thought. Since then Alex had been forced to remember and discover his past in small details, until he was told the majority of his story by his God-father-turned-bad. That had been barely a month ago. Alex still needed time to get over it. Jack had chosen the wrong time to mention Ian Rider. Alex tried to put his past away, to shove it back where it would stay, hopefully forgotten- just like the guilt of the assassin, "Got any homework?" Jack was trying to start the conversation again, "You know Brookland," Alex replied, "They would never forget to give us homework over the hols." Alex gave Jack a weak smile, "Better get started."

Alex spent the next two hours making a start on his homework. He had finished his maths paper, knowing he had done worse than ever before. Had laboured over writing up a complicated science experiment and had got half way through his essay about _Romeo and Juliet, _when the doorbell rang. He jumped up, almost up turning the table ("God, surely it isn't that exciting!" Jack exclaimed), stuffed his homework into his dirty Nike school bag and ran to open the front door.Sabina stood on the door step grinning, "How'd you like my high lights?" she asked. Typical Sabina. Alex looked at her hair. Once it had been a long dark blanket of dark silk. Now it was shorter, layered and had streaks of blond in it. Alex smiled, "Looks great!" he let her in.

"How was school today?" she asked, following him into the kitchen. Alex looked back at her, "You won't believe how much homework they gave us! And they call it a holiday!" Sabina laughed. Alex like her smiling, it made her look even more pretty than she already was. Suddenly Alex felt very aware of himself. Were his feet to big for his body? Had he chosen the right clothes? Sabina didn't seem to mind. She was too busy greeting Jack. Not long after, they sat down to eat.

"Do you think his hair is too long?" Jack asked Sabina. Trust Jack to bring up the way he looked. Why were girls so insensitive? "Hmmn. . . it looks cool like that. Makes him look cute." she replied. Alex tried not to look too relieved. "I like your hair." Jack carried on chatting with Sabina. Girls! Two hours later Alex said bye to Sabina in the porch, "I wasn't lying when I said your hair makes you look cute." she said, seriously. "Thanks." Alex replied, "I meant what I said about yours!"

"Promise me something Alex?"

"Mmmm."

"When MI6 ask you to help them again, say no.""Why?"

Sabina sighed, "Alex, do you never look in the mirror? Can't you see they've hurt you. Yes, you've got the bruises, but they'll fade and eventually you'll forget they ever happened. But there is more to you, Alex. Look deep down inside. You don't feel fourteen. I can tell. There is a blank look in your eyes and the spark you once had. It's gone. I'm serious, Alex, you've changed since I first met you." She was right and Alex knew it . He looked her straight in the eye and said: "I promise. See you Monday" he meant it, there was no way he was going back to MI6, he'd had enough of that world. His other life. But Sabina was right. He had changed. And he didn't want to get hurt anymore than he already was. Nor did he want to hurt Sabina.

He waved to her as her cab drove away. Across the road there was a man, his eyes fixed on Alex. For some reason, Alex didn't find this unusual. Not weeks ago he had taken on Scorpia, an organisation that specialised in assassinations. The last time he had taken them on he had been shot, nearly killed. No doubt MI6 where keeping an eye on him. And Jack. And maybe even Sabina. He went back inside. Jack was clearing the table, "You were a long time." she said when he walked in, "Yeah. She made me make the same promise as I made you." Jack looked up. She had a look of pity in her eyes, "And she's right. Listen to me Alex: we might be girls and discus how our hair looks and what make up we like, but we do care about you too. And we can see that you've been damaged by what you've seen. You can't go back to them!"

"I'm not going to Jack. But what if I don't get a choice? What if they come for me?" Alex sat back down heavily, clearly thinking hard, "Why'd you say that?" she asked. She stopped cleaning table and looked at him alarmed, "No reason. Just I don't think you can quit that easy. Look what happened to my dad." Alex fiddled with the table cloth absent mindedly. Jack put her arm around Alex. She was very much like a big sister to him, but more of a friend, "Please don't think things like that, Alex. Don't scare me. Don't scare yourself."

Alex didn't stay up late that night. There wasn't much on TV, he couldn't be bothered to do anymore homework and Jack had been very subdued since their conversation in the kitchen after. She had been unwilling to talk and didn't even say goodnight to Alex when he went up to bed. At least in bed he could think properly. Rather than feeling a little uncomfortable with a normally lively Jack. Surprisingly, he fell asleep quickly, but as always was haunted by his nightmares, that in reality were just memories. Old images of Alex's past. Things that MI6 had forced him to face and the things that they had inflicted on him, a mere child. The things they had taken from him. Alex woke sweating. He had just fallen back to earth from space for a second time, yet still it felt so real. He was shivering. He propped himself up on his pillows. The yellow glow of the clock illuminated the room, but only slightly. It was 2:13. Why had he woken up? Had it been the dream? Or was there something else out there? This was the new Alex kicking in. The one that couldn't sleep at night, just in case. The one who constantly looked back over his shoulder on the way back from school. The one who would jump at any loud noise, fearing a gun shot. Alex didn't want to be like this, but he had been involved in MI6 for too long. There was no going back. Alex wasn't a child anymore. Jack and Sabina were right.

He tried to get back to sleep. Turning over his pillow, chucking his lumpy covers onto the floor. It was no use. Whatever he did, Alex couldn't let himself relax enough to drift into dreamland. So he just lay there in the dark, his ears straining to hear any sound. Jack seemed to be asleep too. There was no sound from her room, next door and the radio was off downstairs. But maybe she too was lying in bed awake, worrying about what he said. He was glad he hadn't told her about the man that was supposedly keeping an eye on him. But what if he wasn't? What if he wasn't from MI6, and was from Scorpia or Snakehead? What if? Alex came up with no end of terrifying thoughts in the dark, then he shook himself. What had Ian said? _Never make an enemy of your imagination. _Alex put the thoughts out of his mind. He might not feel like a child anymore, but both Ian and Jack had told him not to think things like that, childish things. He still _was_ a child. He thought about creeping into Jack's room, hoping that she'd comfort him. That's what a child would do. Go and see their mother. But Jack wasn't Alex's mum, she was a friend. Alex was alone. He had felt like that in Australia when Jack had been on her way, now he was with Jack at home he still felt the same. Was this growing up? Was this what being an adult felt like? He hoped not. He hated this empty feeling. He wanted it to go away.

There was a screech of a cat outside. Alex sat bolt up right suddenly. So something had to have woken him up. Surely. He got up and pushed the curtains back. There was nothing outside. The street lamp was glowing as normal, flickering slightly as the bulb started to run out. It had been doing it for weeks. There was nothing different about the typical west London horizon. Not even a new car parked on the road. Everything was the same. Had Alex imagined it? No. It had defiantly been real. He stood at the window for a few more seconds and turned away. He climbed into bed and almost instantly fell asleep.


	3. Shadows

_**I don't like the name of this chapter either. But I don't like the chapter, so it doesn't really make a difference. I could really use some help with action scenes, because, you have to admit, mine are pretty rubbish. **_

_**I forgot to disclaim the last chapter so I'll disclaim it here: I herby disclaim all the official characters that I have used from this chapter and the last. But 'William Payne' is still mine. guards the Payne bloke**_

_**Happy reading…**_

_**Luck of the Devil. . .**_

_**Chapter 3: Shadows…**_

_Alex woke late the next morning. Jack was already watching the Saturday morning tele when he went into the lounge, __"__Morning.__"__ he said. __"__Morning.__"__ Jack replied in monosyllabic tones- she wasn__'__t a morning person. __"__Sleep well?__"__ Alex asked, trying desperately to make conversation, normally he didn__'__t do mornings either, __"__Listen Alex, I__'__m not cross with you.__"__ Alex felt relieved, but a little unhappy that she could tell so easily that he was worried, __"__I__'__ve known you for years, Alex. Come on, I can practically read your mind! And anyway- since when do you talk in the morning?__"__ Alex laughed, glad that things seemed to back to normal, __"__So,__"__ Jack said, __"__I slept well, did you?__"__ Alex sat down on the arm chair- he had been lingering in the doorway. __"__Nope. Usual dreams. Plus a cat woke me up, making a racket out on the road.__"_

"_That__'__s funny, I didn__'__t hear it! Mind you, I__'__m a very deep sleeper.__"__ Jack was telling the truth when she said that. She barely woke at all in the night and rarely woke to her alarm in the morning. Not that she needed to, Alex could wake himself up and get ready for school. It didn__'__t even take much effort to get his bike out of the garage and push off to get to school. _

_Alex had nothing to do all day. Sabina was having a __"__quality bonding__"__ day out with her dad- she hardly ever saw him, but she was better off than Alex. Jack didn__'__t have much to do either, but they didn__'__t go out. Alex killed a few hours playing on his new DSlite. He__'__d saved at least ten weeks of paper round wages to buy it, has wasn__'__t going to waste it. It had been one of the last things he had bought, as he had had to resign because of all his trips away with MI6. He snacked all day- which was one of his worst habits in the holidays. Then he went out on his bike for a bit, but soon got bored. A small part of him was beginning to think a normal life was boring. He couldn__'__t be missing his dangerous unstable life could he? Better not share that fact with Jack- she__'__d go mental. By the evening he couldn__'__t bare to watch any more TV and alternated between his DS and the newspaper Jack had gone out and bought at around six __'__o__'__ clock._

_Once again he chose to go to bed early. He was going to read a book, but found it incredibly easy to fall asleep. He must have lain there dozing for a while because when he finally came to his senses it was pitch black outside and there was no longer the constant sound of cars. He glanced at the clock. God; this was becoming a habit. It was 2:13. What was going on. What had Alan Blunt said to him before he had infiltrated the __point blanc _academy? Something about coincidence, that he had to see past it? Alex couldn't remember, but got up very quickly. Something was going on.

Alex didn't know how he had acquired it, but he could sense danger, like some sort of animal. He lashed out with his foot, but couldn't see much in the dark. Only the many shadows slowly closing in on him. He tried to make contact with them, using a clenched fist. He couldn't find a body, but there were people there. He could feel them. Alex found a hand around his throat. He choked. Black spots forming before his eyes. He could hear screaming from Jack's room. Jack! At least they weren't strangling her yet. He fought harder against his attacker. He had no shoes on, there was no chance of hurting the intruder by stamping on their foot, so he rammed his elbow into the man's stomach. Alex even heard the wind being knocked out of his enemy, he had hit the right place, even though he couldn't see a thing. Alex ran blindly out of the door and onto the landing. There were more men out here. Back ups. There was the fire of a gun. "Jack!" Alex yelled into the darkness. He pushed his way through the madness, ducking to avoid the bullets, "Jack!" he yelled again, "Jack!"

"Alex!"

"Jack!" somehow they met in the middle of the huddle, "Jack. Come on. Get out of here!" suddenly Jacks hand was wrenched away from his, "Jack!". she screamed, "Alex! Help!" he looked round trying to reach her, but someone was dragging him away. Gagging his mouth. Putting a sack over his head then pushing him roughly down the stairs. Alex didn't even remember hitting the bottom.

Alex woke up. His head was throbbing. "Alex!" Jack threw herself around him, "I thought you were dead!"

"God, Jack. I've been knocked out before." Alex tried not to remember Major Yu and the pain he had felt when hit with his scorpion encrusted walking stick. He shivered, "Any idea where we are?" Jack mumbled something like "I was hoping you would solve that one." Alex got up off the cold hard floor, "Church?" he muttered. He ran his hands along the wall. It was cold sandstone, "Church." he repeated, this time it was a question. He turned back to Jack and nodded curtly, "Did they hurt you?" he asked. Jack looked up from the floor, "Do you honestly feel responsible for this?" Alex turned away. "I am responsible Jack. I'm the one who's worked for MI6 the past year. They wanted me. But you kind of got in the way. You shouldn't be here." Jack put her arms around him. He turned round and hugged her. They had never really embraced before. They had been close, but never like this. Just really good friends. There was a loud bang from outside. Suddenly, Alex's feeling of love faded away. He let go and ran his hands through his hair, "We have to get out of here."

He hit his head on the wall a few times. "Surely you've got out of places like this before?" Jack tried to stop him from hurting himself, "Not without gadgets." Alex muttered. Did MI6 know he was here? Had the man on the other side of the road been with MI6 or the people who had taken him- and Jack? He banged his head again. "STOP IT!" Jack yelled. Alex stopped. Not obeying, but because he was stunned with shock. Jack had never shouted at him before, "You might know more about this than I do, but I am still your responsible adult, and I won't have you hurting yourself like that. It's not going to help." Alex nodded curtly and took to pacing the room instead. There was another bang outside. Jack looked alarmed. Alex did nothing. And then the floor opened.

Two men climbed up a ladder and walked in, "Try anything, child, and we will shoot you!" the men had some sort of accent that Alex couldn't place. He snarled, "If you were planning on killing me in such a simple way, you would have done it at the house." the taller of the men slapped Alex round the check. Jack protested and she got hit too, "Gimme the cuffs." the taller of the men spoke again- he was in charge. It was obvious. The other man pulled some cuffs from his belt, Alex heard them clink together. The taller man wrenched Alex's hands forwards and roughly applied the cuffs, squeezing them until the cut into his thin wrists. Jack protested once again. This time they didn't hit her, but pushed her against the wall, "QUIET WOMAN!" Jack stood still, breathless, unmoving. Alex looked at her, trying to tell her with his eyes that it would be ok. Jack didn't respond. She had given up. Alex knew the feeling far too well.

Alex was twisting his hands around rapidly, trying to find some way to loosen them. The men laughed as he winced, trapping his skin between them. Then they pushed him towards the ladder and he shakily climbed down. He had been right. They were in a church. But it wasn't just any church. It was huge. He looked around at the magnificent stained glass windows, the shinning gold plates and crosses and the high roof. Alex was forced forward by the men. They were brutal and had no mercy. He tried to make himself look like an innocent child, but it was no use. They just laughed their hollow laughs and shoved him forward. Somehow, they knew who he was and what threats he held. And he had even done anything to them. Yet. They pushed him through a doorway into an immaculate room. A man was sat at the desk, positioned exactly in the middle of the exactly square office type set up. The man said nothing but gestured for the two men to close the door. He then gestured for Alex to sit down. Alex did as he was told.

"Good morning, Alex Rider." the man said. His voice was very weak. It sounded as if he hadn't spoken for years, "Who are you?" Alex said, his voice was bitter. The man gave a small laugh, "Yes, yes. Please give up the act. You know who I am. And I know you're not Alex Rider. I am not stupid, disguises don't work. Not for me." the man straightened the file on his desk. Alex said nothing, "Ahh, so you do know what I'm talking about?" Alex still didn't say anything. The man got up and let on the desk, putting his face up close to Alex's, "I advise you to drop this. I know who you are!"

"Yes. I'm Alex Rider. Congratulations. You managed to catch me. I'm stuck here your prisoner. But why exactly have you wasted your time?" The man sat back down. Alex could tell how much pain he was in, it flickered in his eyes.

"Ok. If you won't tell me who you are, I don't actually need you to tell me I already know but I want you to admit it, who is the young woman with you?" Alex was still confused. He had no idea what the man was talking about, "I don't understand." He protested. The man sighed, "So, you're telling me that you don't know who that woman is? Despite the fact she was in your house and you tried to drag her out when my men invaded?"

"No. But don't hurt her. Please!" Alex tried his look of childhood terror. Once again it didn't work, "Don't try that with me!" the man glanced down at the file, taking a long look at the photo- had he got the wrong boy? No. This was the so called Alex Rider.

"Perhaps I should tell you about myself. It might prompt you to talk. You might have caught drifts of my later life, but I've never been famous. I doubt you've heard of the name William Payne." he waited for Alex to answer, but he didn't, "I was born in Berlin. It was the beginning of world war two and my father was away. I was left with my mother and my two sisters. For six years the war raged. I didn't see my dad all the way through it. I was dying to meet him, but knew he was out there, fighting for his country, his life and for me. When the war finally ended we went to the train station and waited for him to get of the train with all the other troupes. He never came.

"It was obvious that he was dead. There was no other explanation. He wouldn't have run away. He wouldn't have fled. I knew that. He was my dad. My hero. I just wished I could have met him. But then two days later, two men came to the front door. My mother answered it and shoed me away. I wanted to know what was going on. I had always been a curious child, so I simply hid just round the corner and listened to the conversation secretly. I never told her what I had heard. And guess what they were telling my dear mother. That the enemy hadn't killed my father- that they had. He had been a coward, run away and been found. Then executed like all the other blasted cowards. I cursed my family. I had lived my life until the age of six and now discovered that my father had been just as girly as them. I was fuming. I felt the war was restarting inside of me.

"I ran away. I had to. I had no other choice. I couldn't live the shame and, even away from my dim unworthy family, frequently considered ending my short unnecessary life. I was terrified I would end up like my father. Not dead, but so spineless. However, you see I didn't. I didn't kill myself because if I had I would have been a coward. I thought it was me, trying desperately not to become my father's son. But later on I realise it hadn't been my doing. I had stopped myself committing suicide. It had been someone else. God. I discovered him when I came to England. Someone who was always there and would never leave my side. He wouldn't let me down, unless I let him down and as soon as I met him, I knew that I couldn't. For a very long time I slept and lived in a church. I would hide when the vicar came to lock it up for the night. And it wasn't hard. I was thin and fast, the only time anyone saw me was in the service on Sundays. They didn't realise I was an orphan. They just thought my mother was ill and came for some sort of release. Or that's what I told them. I don't know what they really thought.

"But, I felt I had to stay there. Sacrifice myself for the man who had stopped me from following in my father's footsteps. Who had saved me from my worst fear. It took me a while to realise that not stepping a foot outside the church wasn't enough. I had to prove myself worthy. God had seen I had potential already. Other wise he would have just let me kill myself, Alex. But he didn't, he stopped me. So there was something I had to do.

"I realised alone, and with a little help from prayers, that to complete God's will I had to become different from every other mortal on the earth. So I did. Within weeks I had scrapped the money together to buy the church I had lived in for so long- no guesses to where I found it, banks tend to contain an awful lot of money if you know what I mean. I found myself some homeless Londoners to work for me. They were happy to be housed and fed and employed. They still are. I think you've seen some of them. I then stopped talking. It wasn't a simple thing, Alex, not like being a mute or a selective mute- someone who can't not or is too afraid to talk. I had to be like it. I couldn't talk to them, to the rest of the world- they weren't worthy and they never would be. Of course nobody found out about this. I saw to that. I had anyone who wrote stories about me taken out. Any one who caused any threat at all was eliminated. It made life easier.

"I was already praying at least five times a day. I doubled this hoping beyond hope that one day God would give me my task. And eventually he did. We're nearly at the end of the story, Alex. Can you guess what my soul purpose in life was?" he waited for Alex to say something, but there was no sound. Alex didn't even move, "I thought you were supposed to be clever. I suppose you are the opposite to the Lord. And that would make you extremely stupid. But it doesn't matter. I can just tell you- I was told to murder the devil. I had to track him down. I had to catch him. I had to torture him. And then, then I could have final satisfaction of killing him in anyway I pleased. It's all been planned Alex- you're as good as dead."

Alex swore. He thrashed about kicking the desk, the chair, anything he could get near, "Oh. . . Dear! Alex has realised the hopelessness of his situation. He has discovered that there is no longer any hope, because God isn't shining upon you anymore. He knows who you are. You no longer have the luck of the devil, Alex Rider!"

"You religious freak!" Alex yelled. Payne was grinning, "Oh, Alex, that's not an insult. I want to be religious and a freak is just something or someone who is different to everyone else. I want to be a religious freak, Alex- that's what makes me different. And it makes you different too." Alex was still thrashing around the office trying to destroy everything he could. Payne was just sat there silently watching him, "Alex, I don't care how much of my stuff you destroy, I am going to destroy you!"


	4. Breaking and Entering

**Disclaiming now before I forget: I do not own Alex Rider or any familiar characters. **

**I am happier with this chapter than I was with the last. Or the one before that. And perhaps the first one. I'm not sure. But it probably doesn't matter to you anyway. Still open to criticism, however evil it may be. **

**Luck of the Devil…**

**Chapter 4: Breaking and Entering **

Alex was shoved back up the ladder into the cell in which he had been dumped earlier. Jack was sat hunched in a corner waiting for him. Her eyes were red and puffy and her was mess. She looked a state. Alex didn't want to see her like this. She sped over and helped him sit up, "What did they say?" she was frantic. Her eyes were darting around everywhere. Finally she had a taste of what Alex felt like every time he was sent on a mission. Alex took a deep breath. He didn't want to tell Jack the truth but somehow he had a feeling that she'd find out anyway, "They're going to kill me. He's a religious freak. And he thinks I'm the devil."

Alex retreated to the corner of the room. He just wanted to close his eyes and let this all fade away into darkness. Into the short haven of sleep. But he knew it didn't work like that. Sometime he would wake up and the reality would kick in. What he had to do was stay awake and think of some escape route. He looked at Jack, who now looked even worse, "They don't know who you are. They just couldn't leave you in the house after you'd seen them. Its just for their own safety. But I don't know what they'll do to you. They might let you go if you swear not to tell." Alex knew that this wouldn't be the case. It was highly unlikely that they'd ever let Jack go even if they didn't kill her, but he didn't want her to know that.

Alex spent the next few hours sat in the corner. He didn't speak. He just contemplated. As far as he could see, apart from the trap door in the floor, there was no way out of their tiny stone prison. Jack paced the room. She had already checked the trap door three times and had concluded that it was definitely locked and it wasn't just her. Alex already knew that the trap door would be locked with more than one lock. They thought Alex was the devil- they weren't going to take risks. Alex wanted to know the time, but his watch had been taken away. Alex assumed it was around seven 'o' clock when a guard unlocked the door and shoved some food in. Jack tried to shove her way out and earned herself another whack. They didn't eat. They didn't want to. They felt sick!

Sabina knocked on the door of Alex's house. To her surprise the door swung open. She was surprised. Alex had been sent on no end of assignments with MI6. She thought he'd be very safety conscious. But she hadn't imagined it. The door had swung open before her eyes. And something else had appeared at the same time. Danger. Sabina was reluctant to step into the house. There were bodies littering the floor and everything was up turned. Something had happened. Alex was in danger.

She ran back out of the front door, not bothering to close it. There was no time for something as simple as that. She sprinted down the road. Dodging the common people on their way home after a long day at work. She ran out in front of a car and she heard the brakes screech deafeningly and she carried along, over the bridge. She knew where she was going. She had vivid memories of Alex in this place. At one time, she had laughed about them, but not now. This was serious.

She ran down Liverpool Street searching for the sign that would tell her where to go. The royal and general bank's logo came into sight. She put on a spurt of speed trying not think about what Alex was going through right now. She pushed on the door. It was locked. Sabina swore. How could the national secret service be closed? She pushed the door again with more force. It didn't budge. She looked through the ground floor windows. Then with a sudden brain wave looked up. Alex had once mentioned jumping out of a window and climbing onto the next. Could she, a girl, manage to do it. She knew for a fact that Alex was much stronger than she was and that she was likely to fail. But she had to try. For Alex.

She climbed onto the window ledge and wobbled there for a few seconds, before she reached up and caught the ledge of the next window. This one had more surface area, it was easier to grip onto and Sabina was thankful for that. She hauled herself up, grunting as her muscles screamed, urging her to stop. Across the street a CTTV camera zoomed in on Sabina. The guards in a secret office underground watched the high definition screen. Not another break in. They sighed. But got to work, this was, after all, what they were paid for. Quickly they collected their weapons. They did have guns, but one of the younger men had picked up a stun gun. He could see this was a child and he didn't want to kill her.

Sabina was almost on her fourth window sill when she heard a loud speaker from below, "Stop climbing and lower yourself down in clear sight. We are armed." Sabina ignored this. Though she did note the fact they had guns. She didn't want Alex to be killed, but she didn't want to die either. She hung there for a second, her fingers nearly slipping. Should she climb down and tell these people why she was here. No. She was a child and they wouldn't believe her. Maybe she could mention Alex. No. They still wouldn't be sure she had to find Mrs Jones, the woman she had met when forced to sign the official secrets act. Mrs Jones alone would know she was telling the truth and then she could send someone to save Alex.

She carried on climbing, but she was getting weaker. She thought about the pain she would feel if she fell from this great height. She really didn't need think that- it wouldn't help. Think positive. She muttered it over and over under her breath, still putting immense effort into heaving herself up higher and higher until she found a place where she could stand for a few seconds and spend some time trying to open the window. O God, she thought desperately, what if they're locked! This thought sent shivers down her spine. She would just have to climb back down and face the consequences. The men below had realised she wasn't coming down. They had given her a long enough chance and were now springing into action.

Sabina heard someone yelling commands. She didn't dare look down to see what was going on, but everything seemed to be going to their plan, not to hers. She tried balancing on the next ledge- she was running out of time fast. It was impossible, but the next window sill seemed to look bigger and easier to spread weight out on. She pulled herself up once more, this time it was harder than ever and she almost fell to her death. But she managed to regain her grip. She would never forget that split second where she thought she was never going to see Alex again. She knelt very uncomfortably on the ledge and tried to open the window. To her great relief, with some force, it opened, but very stiffly. She slowly forced herself through the small gap. Bending her flexible body round the flower pot placed awkwardly in the middle of the shelf. She climbed off the floor and looked up. She was surrounded. Sabina had no time to scream before the dart hit her squarely in the chest.

The other men started at the young man who had fired it, "Our orders were to kill her, idiot." the burliest of them thumped him, "She's just a child." he replied, ignoring the aggressive beating he was receiving from his comrades. They were swearing at him. Hitting him harder now. Then a woman came into the room. "I would advise you to stop injuring him, gentlemen. Because Jamie Alson did the right thing. We have reason to believe that this girl has information for us. I believe Mr. Blunt wants a word with you, he will see you tomorrow morning. Thank you, Alson." the youngest man nodded his head, "Thank you, Mrs Jones." he replied, then followed his 'friends' out and back to their den.


	5. Whipping!

_**Why are the names of my chapters so rubbish? I think I just have a mental block when I name them. Oh well! **_

_**Firstly, I do apologise for the gruesomeness of this chapter. I get a little carried away (maybe a tad more than a little, but anyway…), unfortunately I have to tell you, this is not the worst thing I have managed to come up with. I swear I am seriously evil. Mwhahaha**_

_**Anyway, back to reality. Standard disclaimers apply (couldn't be bother to type the whole thing). **_

_**closes mouth**_

_**Luck of the Devil…**_

_**Chapter 5: Whipping! **_

_Neither Jack, nor Alex slept that night. She were both too worried about each other. Not wanting to dose off and wake up in the morning to find the other gone. In fact right now that was Alex__'__s worst fear. Jack was all he had. Alex was always Jack__'__s worst fear. She was glad this time she knew where he was. Alex stuck to his corner and in the end Jack huddled up next to him. They were trying to keep warm. The stone wasn__'__t warming up and Alex knew they__'__d probably be warmer in the middle of the room, but he was comfortable here. And that was where he was staying._

_The next morning, or they assumed it was morning, there was another plate of food shoved through the door. Alex heard the click of three locks. So that was what he was up against if he wanted to get out. Alex didn__'__t eat. He had other things on his mind. Things that were brought to the fore front when the two men who had collected him the day before came back and forced him down the stairs again. He followed them into their master__'__s office and they jeered at him, pulling faces, before he closed the door. _

"_I believe we have regained our manners, Alex.__"__ Payne said. Alex said nothing, __"__I know who the woman is. She is your guardian, Jack Starbright. I also know she__'__s all you have and that fact is going to make things easier for me. You see, if you don__'__t co-operate, I will kill her and you shall watch her die the most painful death you can imagine. Perhaps I will burn her. Or maybe I should slice her into tiny pieces, while she is still alive, then force feed her to you.__"__ Alex retched. Payne smiled at the thought, __"__So Alex,__"__ he continued, __"__do I have your attention?__"__ Alex nodded meekly. He wondered how long it would take MI6 to realise he was missing. Or if they ever would. _

"_Right then. With Jack in mind, would you like to step out side that door.__"__ Alex looked at the door he had just come through, the same door that Payne was gesturing to now. Alex looked back at him, __"__Yes Alex. I advise you complete my demand or I shall carry out my threat. I do not lie, you know.__"__ Alex slowly heaved himself up. The cuffs were still digging into his hands. Nobody had bothered to take them off. He tried to open the door but didn__'__t succeed. Reluctantly, Payne got up and helped. He pushed Alex out then closed the door once more and sat back down at his desk. He didn__'__t need to be out there. He could just watch it all on YouTube, because it was being broadcast live. _

_Alex stood at the front of the church and stared out to the pews, which were now full of people. Yet minutes ago they had been empty. Alex suddenly realised they were here to see him. A loud speaker rang through the church, __"__This may look like an ordinary boy. . .__"__ Alex hadn__'__t heard the voice before, __"__but he is different to all the others at Brookland school in west London.__"__ Alex felt very strange stood at the front there on his own, __"__He is in fact, not a boy.__"__ the audience just stared at him open mouthed. They still had no idea what the voice on the loud speaker was talking about. They had been told they would see a freak. So far, all they had seen was a lousy teenage boy. _

"_He is not what he looks like on the outside. Do not be fooled by his appearance.__"__ a video started playing beside Alex. He turned round and saw the tape that showed what he had done at the breakers yard before his mission with the StormBreakers, __"__Yes, he does look very much like a lethal weapon.__"__ the video screen faded back into darkness, __"__But in reality he is something more terrible.__"__ people in the audience were fidgeting. They wanted the voice on the loud speaker to get on with it. It was like waiting for the results on a TV show like __'__X- Factor__'__. __"__This boy is the devil.__"__ there were gasps and yells. Some people jeered at him, but Alex blanked them all. __"__When I say the devil, I don__'__t just mean he misbehaves.__"__ the audience fell silent to listen to the voice over. They wanted to know more now, __"__Somehow, this boy has survived a trip into outer space with no training at all. He escaped the jaws of a great white shark. He has survived being shot. He has lived to tell the tale of a game console game brought to life. He has the luck of the devil, because he is the devil!__"_

_A man walked onto the stage. The loudspeakers continues to blare out the sound of the voice who was portraying Alex as some kind of immortal being. __"__I__'__m sure you want to see the boy responsible for your sins tortured. And that is why you are here. Please, sit back relax and enjoy as he suffers the torment that he would have made you suffer in Hell!__"__ the man withdrew a whip from his belt. He walked over to Alex and ripped off his t-shirt. Alex tried to see into the black eyes of his enemy, but there were pitch black strands of hair falling over them. Despite, this Alex could tell what he was up against. This man was paid to kill. He was paid to hurt. He was paid to torment Alex in anyway he could think of. Alex had a feeling this wasn__'__t the first thing he would suffer. _

_He felt the whip hit his back and back over, breathless from the pain. Before he had time to recover, he was hit again. This time he made of cry of pain. He couldn__'__t help himself. He tried to avoid the next crack of the whip, but it just caught him on the side of the stomach. Then before he could dodge again was hit again in quick succession. Alex felt something warm oozing down him. The whip had drawn blood. Yet it didn__'__t end. He was hit a further fifteen times until the parts of his back that weren__'__t bleeding, were red raw. He was pushed round so that the audience could see the damage that had been caused. They cheered. _

_Alex was made to stand at the door while the audience left. If they wanted to, they too where allowed to hit him with the whip and almost everyone of them did. By the time he was finally led back to his cell, he felt like he was going to faint from the pain. They shoved him back up, trying to make him move faster. They finally got him to the top and thrust him in. Jack screamed at the sight of him. She quickly helped him sit up and made him recall exactly what they had done. Jack was too furious to talk, but Alex didn__'__t care. He need to sleep. So he did._

_Alan Blunt drummed his fingers on the desk and considered what he had just been told by a fifteen year old girl. Yes, he did believe her. It was Alex Rider she had spoken about and with him anything could happen. All he needed to do now was to think of something to do about it. Mrs Jones was still talking to Sabina. Trying to find out more. Clearly the girl knew nothing more than she had already confessed. Alan found it quite ironic that she had broken in to two places in one night and had really been doing good all the time. He was glad that he had Alson, otherwise the girl would be dead and they would not know that Alex was missing. Because they hadn__'__t known until Sabina had woken from the stun dart. MI6 were losing their touch._

_He sat upright and looked at the two women, __"__I would say that Alex is hurt or in someway damaged. Else he would have found a way to contact us by now. We must get involved straight away. Mrs Jones find out when Miss Starbright was last seen. Please don__'__t mention Alex just yet. I don__'__t want the rest of the world to find out we have lost our secret weapon. Get together a small group of men to find them both. And find this girl a secure place to stay. We still don__'__t know how much the kidnappers know.__"__ Mr Blunt went back to his typing. This had been a disastrous week. First the break in. . . _

_It suddenly came to him, why it had not come sooner than this he did not know. Maybe it wasn__'__t MI6 that was losing its touch. Maybe it was him. __"__Mrs Jones.__"__ he called sharply. The woman turned round, __"__They know everything we do.__"__ he said simply. She gave him a curt nod and walked out of the room with Sabina following. The girl was beginning to make an impression on him. He knew Mrs Jones wouldn__'__t like it, but one day, the girl would make a good partner with Alex. She had certainly proved herself this time. And she and Alex already knew each other. He started typing on his computer again. This was good. Very good._

_Sabina sat down in the hotel room she had been assigned to. It was pretty good, though she had been in better. But right now she didn__'__t care about that, it was Alex who was concerning her. She switched on the TV and the news came on. There had been another bombing in Iraq, a cyclone in Burma and there was a flood warning for southern Britain. Yet all this devastation still didn__'__t matter. It was time for Sabina to do something for herself. She was tried of adults telling her what to do. She had only met MI6 twice, but already she realised what Alex meant. When it suited them they would treat her like a child, but when they needed help, like finding Alex, they would treat her like an adult, or in Alex__'__s case a spy. _

_She sat down on the bed and fiddled with the zip of her jacket. For once she didn__'__t think about how long she had been wearing this same thing, or how much she smelt. She thought of a way to find Alex and help him escape. Her first thought was to go back to his house and see what clues she could find there, but no doubt MI6 had closed and secured the area. She wouldn__'__t be allowed in. But, she had climbed to the top of building. She thought about slipping past any guards at night, but gave up on this idea. She had never liked London in the dark. There were too many drunken men carrying knives who had no idea what they were doing. Daytime it was then. Sabina walked out of the room shoving her key into her pocket. It was time to show MI6 what she was made of._

_She walked back to Alex__'__s house the long way. There was a quick route, but she had a strange feeling about it. It went past a huge church with a large graveyard that gave her creeps. Despite, this it only took her ten minutes. She circled the house and tried to see past the men in white overalls. There were lots of people milling around watching the abnormal sight. She just blended in with them- a nosey teenager wanting to be the first to spread the gossip to her friends. Eventually she found a weak point. There was a van, parked very close to the florescent police tape. She snuck round it and weaved in out of some more parked cars. Then she went down an ally way. She had seen Alex come this way out of his back gate to put the rubbish out, it lead to a gate in his tiny back garden. She just hoped that MI6 didn__'__t know about this entrance._

_They didn__'__t. But it didn__'__t stop Sabina from feeling guilty about breaking into somewhere again. It seemed to be becoming a habit. She stood on the old green garden table and pulled herself up so she could see in through the toilet window. This room was at different height to all the rest. There were some rooms above it and some below, but none level, which meant if she could get in, there shouldn__'__t be anyone else near it. She open the window with force and held her breath as it let out a very loud squeaking noise. Nobody paid any attention to it. There was enough noise going on in the house to cover it up and blend it in. She hauled herself up- it wasn__'__t hard, she__'__d had enough practise. And fell onto a dead body. She squealed. Then remembered she wasn__'__t supposed to be here. She had to be quiet. She slowly open the toilet door and looked out. There was no one around. Except the corpse in the loo, but that wasn__'__t going to do much to her. _

_She carefully stepped down the stairs. Avoiding the squeaky one at the bottom. She then sprinted up the stairs and into Alex__'__s room. There were scuffs on the carpet here. His bed wasn__'__t made. And there was a pile of his clothes on the floor. His laptop was closed. __His bed wasn__'__t made. _Sabina knew that Alex always made his bed. She had spent a week with him in Cornwall. A holiday with him in the south of France. She knew for a fact that Alex always made his bed. So they had come for him suddenly. In the night presumably. Or early morning. That was her first clue. She just had to find more. There was a noise from outside. She quickly dived under the bed. People came into the room. She could see their feet moving around. There were talking, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. She only caught snatches, "The boys blood. . . they knocked him out. . . the girl's with him. . . no, well perhaps, but wouldn't they take him further away than that. . ." then they left again. They clearly saw nothing of interest in here. But they didn't know Alex.


	6. Stretch You

_**I wonder if a mental hospital could take me in, because this is just kinda… well, I leave you to fill in your own word here. I warned you before the last chapter that it got a whole lot, worse. I was however, planning to add some vile details to this chapter. I re-read it and decided it didn't them. You can tell the Payne guy is evil just from this. What **__**is **_**going on in my head?**

**Standard disclaimers. You know what I mean. I don't really need to repeat it all again…**

**Luck of the Devil…**

**Chapter 6: Stretch you…**

Alex woke to Jack shaking him gently. She was deliberately avoiding his back. He could feel himself shaking with cold. It was freezing without his shirt, "Alex, they want you again." he sat up groggily. Everything about him ached. He wished he could go home, "Mr. Payne would like to remind you of the dinner you will be having tonight if you do not obey his command and come down to talk to him _now!_" Alex shivered at the thought and heaved himself up. He had gotten good at climbing down the ladder in hand cuffs and had realised now that they weren't going to risk taking them off.

He followed the familiar route to Payne's office, with one of the guards behind him and one in front. He saw some other men wandering around. They looked nervous and uncomfortable. Alex caught one of their eyes, but the man just looked away. They didn't seriously believe Payne, did they? Alex was pushed through the door and right into Payne himself. Payne spun him round and ran his hand down Alex's back, "They'll scar nicely. Not that you need to worry, the only woman you going to see anytime soon is your mother in Hell!" Alex winced as Payne pushed hard on his back to force him to sit down.

"You know Alex, I've noticed something. The secret services around the world haven't just pushed you, they've stretched you. So, I decided I would try the same thing." Payne smile to himself. He was obviously enjoying informing Alex of his next torture, "You will, no doubt, have heard of the rack at school?" Alex said nothing, "Well, it seems you are not willing to co-operate. . ." he walked to the door and opened it. The guards who took Alex to and fro his room each day turned round, "You want the woman?" the taller one asked. "NO!" Alex yelled. He didn't remember rising to his feet, he was so sick with rage that anyone could think about doing that to Jack. She was virtually harmless.

Payne closed the door, "Ok, I seem to have got your attention. Let me just warn you: I am not afraid to kill her. It won't be hard. All I need to do is to tie her down and then sharpen my knife before her eyes. I just can't decide which bit to cut off first. Oh, I can imagine the pain she will go through before she is allowed the refuge of death. I can imagine her screams, can you not, Alex? Or are you such a coward that you don't want to? Think about it Alex. You or her first? Do you really want to watch her die. I won't force her to watch your death- she hasn't done anything wrong yet. . . but when you are dead, I will still have to kill her. I can't risk her telling tales. . ."

"I know what a rack is." Alex spat at Payne's feet. Payne gave Alex a stern look, "I'm sure even the devil has manners." Alex was slightly surprised by this comment. So Payne was going to kill him because he thought that he was the devil, but he also thought that the devil had manners. This man seriously needed a permanent bed in a mental asylum. Payne continued, "Well yes, I am assumed you would. A very popular form of torment in medieval times and I am privileged to own one. Perhaps you would like to see it."

Payne led Alex out of his office. Alex had a very strong desire to kick him in the back on the knee, but he decided that Jack was more important that his satisfaction. He was led into another room, not too far from the ladder to his own cell. Inside he saw the rack that Payne had promised, "No." Alex whispered, "Yes." the man who had whipped Alex the day before spoke and stepped out of the shadows. He was smoking a pipe, it lit up his face for a brief second, then it went back to shadow. That's what the man was. A shadow. It was what he had been taught to be and it was what he had become. He would only show himself to those he would kill or those who would pay him. That way no one who would turn him in would still be alive. "You can leave him with me." the young man said. Payne walked out.

"Don't worry I'm not going to be too hard on you. I might stretch you double what your arms can reach, but yet again, if you chose to be rude to me, I will double it again. You understand?" Alex could tell that this man wasn't English, but he spoke the language perfectly, with only a hint of an accent. He would have blended in with crowd. No one would ever know he wasn't born in Britain. Alex nodded slowly. "Get on the rack." the man growled. He flicked a piece of hair out of his eyes, trying to see Alex's look of shear terror. But it would never come, because Alex didn't want to give the man what he wanted. He wanted to aggravate before he was finally killed.

He did as he was told. It was uncomfortable enough without being stretched. The wood was hard and very easy to get splinters from. It rubbed against his back, which was already red raw and screaming. But Alex didn't protest and he did it for Jack. The man clipped one clasp to Alex's wrist before he undid the hand cuffs. Alex's wrists were also raw from the tightness of the cuffs and he wanted to rub them to ease the pain, but there was no chance of that. The man did up the other clips, "You see that there?" the man pointed to the corner. Alex saw what looked like a miniscule CCTV camera lens glinting in the candle light, "Everything I do to you is being filmed and broadcast on the internet." the man spat out the last syllables, "My face is being blurred, but yours will be exceptionally clear. Don't worry the description will explain why I am doing it."

Alex said nothing. The man walked to the lever by Alex's head, "I hope it hurts." he said before he started twisting. At first Alex felt nothing. Just the tighten of the clasps as they began to pull down on to his feet and up onto his hands. Then the pain started. At first, bearable, then worse and worse. He kept his mouth shut, not wanting anyone to know how much pain he was suffering. He wanted to look brave.

Not so far away in her hotel room Sabina logged onto YouTube. She looked at the videos being watched right now. There was one with a boy that looked like Alex on it. It couldn't be. . . she clicked the link. Confused. The video loaded slowly and then Sabina retched as she realised she did know the boy on the screen. She almost felt the pain and quickly filed a review. 'I'm coming to get you.'

She didn't know where she was going but she could tell be the video that where ever Alex was it was in a church. She remembered what one of the scientists had said in Alex's bedroom: _'__but wouldn__'__t they take him further away than that?__'_maybe they hadn't taken Alex that far away. Sabina remembered the church she really hated. She had a funny feeling that once this was over Alex would hate it even more than she did. She grabbed her jacket and room key and sprinted out of the room.

Alex breathed a sigh of relief as Payne came into the room and unclipped the clasps that were ripping him apart. He had no idea what had come over the crazy man, but right now he was thankful that the young man hadn't been allowed to get too carried away, "Someone is on their way, child." Payne was gripping Alex's wrist excruciatingly tight. He whimpered, "Someone watched the video and knew who you were. For some reason they seem to be coming to save you." Alex was being dragged along by the mad man. He was being taken to the front of the church, "It's a good job I know how I am going to kill you, because I have to do it now."

Payne tied Alex to a pew at the front of the church. The rope was rough and a whole lot worse than the hand cuffs. Payne passed the blacked haired man on the way back to his office and shoved a scrap of paper into the his hand. The man read it on his way down to greet Alex. He was smiling. This wasn't a good sign for Alex. The man seemed to enjoy watching people writhe in pain. He seemed to like the sight of blood. Blood lust. The words came to Alex's mind. No. This man didn't have blood lust. He just had the lust to kill Alex.

"Well Alex. It seems we shall be cutting our torture short, but this should be torture enough." The man was pulling four large nails out of his breast pocket. He strode over to the boy, terrorized and aching, and began to untie the rope. Alex looked at him straight in the eye, "You have been through a lot, child?" he said. Alex nodded. "You've survived a lot too?" Alex nodded again, "Well, maybe you will survive this." Alex looked at the man again, trying to work out the truth, "There is someone on their way. But by then I shall be long gone. Don't tell on me, child. Then perhaps we shall meet again."

Alex felt his feet being lifted off the ground. The man was being surprisingly gentle. Then it started. The first pain was the worst after that Alex knew what to expect. He suffered it four times and then a fifth, when the man pulled the crown of thorns down hard on Alex's head, "Remember me, Alex Rider. Remember Teivel Yanna." Alex was breathing heavily, "I didn't want to do this." the man whispered this, then turned and left. He didn't look back at Alex but walked straight out of the church. Alex was left alone. He tried to move his hands, but all his strength had left him. He couldn't pull himself up to breathe. He was going to die like this. He was sure of it.

Payne came out of his office. He called down the church. "Now you know what it's like to be sacrificed. Perhaps you will learn to appreciate Christ in Hell." Payne left too. There was no one left. Jack was locked in the cell somewhere high above him and the slaves had left. He _was_ going to die.


	7. Hang In There!

**This chapter is a little short, but I didn't what else to put. The title for this chapter isn't really relevant, unless you count the sick joke of Alex hanging from the cross. Bit sick, I am, but anyways… hope you enjoy it all the same. **

**hands you a bit of paper with the disclaimer written on it **

**Luck of the Devil…**

**Chapter 7: Hang In There! **

Alex didn't know how long he stared down the church waiting for the promised saviour to arrive. But they didn't come. Alex was just about to close his eyes when he thought he saw Sabina run into the church. No. He convinced himself. It was just a hallucination. They said your life flashed before your eyes before you died. Sabina was Alex's life. It was all he had lived for. His love for Sabina was stronger than it was for Jack. It was Sabina that had kept him alive this long and now he was imagining her. He closed his eyes. Alex was prepared for death.

Sabina screamed. She retched. Her eyes were wide with horror. Alex was hanging from a cross. His hands were red from blood, as were his feet. His eyes were closed and without his face, gripped with excruciating pain, and his odd, uncomfortable position he would have looked like he was sleeping. Sabina took a deep breath in. What had she let herself into? She should have known from last time: this wasn't her world. She didn't belong her, yet she found herself in the middle of danger once again. Sabina ran her hands through her hair, waiting for a brain wave to come. Waiting for some witty idea to form inside her head so she could save the boy she had secretly loved for the past few months. There was no need. MI6 came running in. She was jostled to the side as the men followed their separate commands. Mrs Jones followed the men from the SAS. She had a similar reaction to the horrific scene as Sabina had. She turned to Sabina, who was standing shaking, staring at the hideous sight. Mrs Jones stepped in between her and Alex. Sabina looked at Mrs Jones, "You should have left it too us." Sabina nodded, "I know. But I couldn't. . . I had to know what was happening to him." she whispered, still shaken from the shock. Her eyes were darting around, like a animals'. She felt threatened.

Mrs Jones saw the look in the girls eyes. She was terrified. She had involved herself willingly in the world of the spy, and she hadn't once thought about what she was doing. Now Sabina was realising exactly what Alex's life was like. The deputy head of special operations felt sorry for her. She was a child, like Alex, yet so different to Alex. However, Mrs Jones had a feeling that Sabina wouldn't be that different to Alex very soon, knowing the heartless character of Alan Blunt. She put he hand on the girls shoulder. This was the closest thing Mrs Jones knew to comfort.

"Stay here." she commanded. Mrs Jones walked away and Sabina looked back at Alex. His limp body was being lifted from the cross. Someone had wrapped a white material around his hands and his feet. Sabina could there were open wounds on his back, some of them still oozing blood. She retched again. She looked over to Mrs Jones, and felt the colour drain out of her when she saw a dishevelled Jack being helped out down a ladder. Three men were trying to manoeuvre her out of the church without her seeing Alex, but already she was looking around for him, her eyes full of fear. Then she caught sight of him being carried out passed Sabina. He looked dead. Sabina would say that to him later. She would tell him how scared she was it. And it would be the truth. To Sabina, Alex did look like he had no hope.

The next thing both Jack and Sabina knew was that they were being rushed to hospital in an ambulance. Alex had already been taken away, all they had been told so far was that his condition was critical. Sabina sat in silence. She took a glance at Jack who was wrapped in a blanket and staring at the floor. Sabina wanted to do something to comfort her friend, but she didn't know what to say. This was beyond her. She had no idea what Jack had been through, or how worried she was about Alex. Despite the fact Sabina was turning into an adult so much faster than she should have done, she still had a hint of child in her charisma.

Jack looked up and saw Sabina averting her gaze, "Do you think he's ok?" she asked. She looked terrible. Sabina could see that even clearer now. There were dark patches under her eyes. Her hair was messy and her lips were cracked. She looked incredibly thin. And exceptionally ill. It was easy to tell she had had a hard few days.


	8. Girls No Longer

**My hands ache from typing, been at it all day, so if you find typos, just tell me and I'll correct them as soon as I can. This chapter title only makes sense if you have actually paid attention to the previous names. Self explanatory really. **

**Check your pockets for the last disclaimer. **

**(don't worry! Its nearly over!) **

**Luck of the Devil…**

**Chapter 8: Girls No Longer… **

Alex lay in a hospital bed. A perfectly white sheet had been draped over his lifeless body. He was still deathly pale and his breath extremely weak. No one had been allowed to see him for twenty four hours. Jack had been distraught at this, but it hadn't helped. They had still waited. Now she sat one side of Alex. She was still shaking from the shock of seeing him, corpse like, in the arms of the SAS. She had only just stopped crying. She couldn't believe he was going to live.

Nor could Sabina, who was on Alex's other side. She had been holding his hand, but he had been wincing so often from the pain, she had stopped. She was just sitting in silence next to him now. Hoping for him to live. She had faith in doctors, for they had cured her father and he was right as rain, but Alex still looked so weak and so venerable. Part of Sabina couldn't bare to look at him. He looked so much older than fourteen.

And she looked older than fifteen. She was beginning to look like Alex. Like a wary adult. She didn't want to, but she couldn't stop it. She looked at Jack, someone who had once been a bouncy child-like person. Sabina doubted that she would ever have those qualities again. A few days ago Sabina would have called herself and Jack girls, but they weren't girls anymore. They were women.

Alex's eye lids flickered. Jack stroked a strand of hair off his forehead. Sabina took his hand gently his her own, "Alex?" she whispered. Tears were forming in her eyes. Suddenly, she felt nervous. What would she say to him? Would he be the same after his ordeal, or would have changed once more? A tear ran down Sabina's cheek. Jack had taken Alex's other hand. She, too, was weeping. There were tears streaming down her face. She was sobbing. She was muttering his name over and over, "Jack." Alex whispered. His eyes flickered open and Jack threw her arms around him. He winced in pain but patted her on the back all the same.

Alex was very surprised to be alive. He had expected to wake up too his mother in some pure white cloud like place. But he wasn't. he had wanted to see his mum and his dad. But for now he was happy here. With Sabina. And with Jack.

Finally Jack let go of him. He smiled at Sabina, but could manage no more. Sabina gave him a slightly smaller hug. Not wanting to hurt him. Alex closed his eyes briefly, "I thought I was going to die." he chocked. Jack nodded, "So did I. When I saw you in the church I thought you already were dead. I thought I had lost you. The last thing I have on earth. . ." Jack's words became in audible. Alex squeezed her hand, even though it hurt him, "You looked very dead when I came in." Sabina said. She was shaking again, but she was happy.

"I remember you coming in." Alex croaked, "I thought I was dreaming. I had given up hope."

"I'd never leave you…"

Alex sat down at Alan Blunt's desk. He was on crutches, although they didn't help because they hurt his hands. He didn't normally use them, Jack had hijacked a hospital wheel chair. But he didn't want Blunt to think he was an invalid, so the crutches it was. Sabina sat down on one side of him and Jack on the other. It was just like being back in hospital, though Alex wasn't in quite so much pain. Blunt had asked to see them together. To debrief them. Alex didn't know why. Sabina and Jack hadn't even been used by MI6 yet.

"Good afternoon." Blunt said. Alex inclined his head, but said nothing, "Firstly, I must apologise. The guard I put on you was no where near strong enough for Payne's army of men. If I had thought about it, I would have protected you more, but I was more worried about more break ins here." he gave Sabina the tiniest of nods, "We owe you, Miss Pleasure, a thank you. Without you, we would never have known Alex was missing. You did, however, disobey Mrs Jones' orders and go after Alex yourself- may I just, ask how did you find out where Alex was?"

Sabina stopped staring at the floor. Alex didn't stare at her, she looked nervous enough as it was, "I broke into Alex's house again, while your people were there. I was in Alex's room when some people came in and I hid under the bed. They said they thought that who ever had taken Alex away would have taken him further away, which meant he was close. Then I was surfing the net, I had nothing else to do in the hotel room and I had to think of what to do next, so I looked on YouTube. It was on the videos that were being watched right now, so I clicked the link. I thought it was Alex and I was right. Then I put a comment on. . ."

"Yes we saw that. . ." Blunt cut in, "It wasn't the most sensible thing to do."

Sabina looked back down at the floor. Alex wanted to yell at Blunt for being so unpleasant, but he just didn't have the strength. Sabina mumbled something, "Yes. Sometimes we want people to know that we are 'coming to get them' too, but sometimes this isn't the best thing to do. Sometimes you should just leave it. I have a feeling that if you hadn't added that comment, Alex wouldn't be sitting here with holes in his hands and feet."

"If Sabina hadn't got involved I wouldn't be sat here at all." Alex growled. He didn't want to look at Blunt, the man who had caused all this. If Blunt hadn't recruited him a year ago, Alex wouldn't have gone through all that. He would be sat at home, probably playing on his DS, but a normal life was long gone. Alex had tried to quit, but it hadn't worked, "That is also true." Blunt went on, "And that is why we need to thank her. I also believe you made mistakes on your first mission, Alex."

Alex suddenly looked up. He understood, even if Jack and Sabina didn't, "No. you can't bring her into this world. She doesn't deserve this." Sabina and Jack were staring at him, "Alex, she has proved herself and we have to file what she has done. After you helped the American's the second time they decided they needed another like you. And Sabina has just put herself forward. They won't even have to train her." Alex shook his head.

This was mad. Sabina wasn't even sixteen. They couldn't do this to her. Sabina looked Alex in the eye, "I don't think there is any going back now, Alex." she said. There were tears forming in her eyes, but Alex saw her point. She had liked Alex and to stay with Alex she would have to live in his world. She was willing to do that, "Do you accept?" Blunt asked. Sabina nodded. Jack shook her head, disapprovingly.

"And then we have you, Miss Starbright. What to do with you? I think perhaps a job in the field would be too much, but we do have a vacant office job. And that way you would know where Alex was all the time. Would that interest you?" Jack nodded meekly, "Ok. I just want to say, Alex, we can give you full protection until you are sixteen if you want to give this up until then. Would you like that?" Alex shook his head. "No. My dad wanted to quit. Look what happened to him." Alex turned away. His eyes were stinging. Blunt inclined his head. The trio saw this as their dismissal and left.

"Alex." Blunt called. Alex turned back. He saw a look of pity in Blunt's eyes. He scowled, "Go back to school on Monday." he said, quite simply. If Alex had been a normally boy, Blunt wouldn't have told Alex to return to normality so soon. But Alex wasn't normal. He was Alex. And there was no way the boy was going to sleep tonight. Somehow he would guess that something was wrong at Brookland High.


	9. Normality?

**This chapter is really short… dunno why. Don't ask. I just had to finish it where I did. Sorry. **

**Disclaimers are the same as the previous 8. **

**Final chapter. Happy reading! **

**Luck of the Devil…**

**Chapter 9: Normality?**

Alex hobbled into the playground. He had gone back to crutches, but was regretting it. It was killing his hands. People stared at him as he opened the door to the school office. Miss Bedfordshire looked up. She wasn't smiling, "What is it this time Alex?" she asked. Alex handed her a letter. Miss Bedfordshire read it quickly and looked up at Alex, "You are really unlucky." she said, plainly. Alex nodded. "Ok. Well, I'll inform your teachers. And you might want this back for PE." she handed the scrap of paper back. Alex looked at the lame excuse Jack had scribbled out that morning while she was half asleep: _Alex burnt himself severely over the holidays. He is unable to participate in physical activity and finds it hard to write. Jack Starbright. _

It was pathetic excuse, but MI6 hadn't provided him with one this time (he hadn't actually had anytime away from school). Miss Bedfordshire gave him one last look as he shuffled into the corridor and down to the classroom. She knew that compared to another boy Alex was very lucky, but she wasn't going to tell Alex that. He would find out soon enough.

Alex sat down in assembly. He was injured and that meant he sat on one of the creaky chairs at the very back of the hall. The teachers were dotted around, their faces blank and unrevealing. They were trying to look normal, but Alex could tell they were uncomfortable. They didn't want to be sat here. The head master came in and Alex struggled to his feet like everyone else in the room. The head looked even worse. Alex was getting very worried. What did Blunt mean? And how did he know? Alex looked round trying to read faces but no one told him anything. So he sat back and tried to look normal, like all the other kids who didn't care.

The head cleared his throat, "I am sorry to inform you that I have some very bad news." normally the head would look at his audience, but he was currently staring down at his paper work. This was something serious, "We, as a school, have lost someone." he paused, "Tom Harris Died while he was staying in a hotel in America. The school has been given no more information than this. There is nothing else to tell, except that a chosen few of you will be attending his funeral. Thank you." the head walked back out of the hall. Alex glanced at the clock. They had another half an hour before lessons started. What would happen now? Now that Alex would never be normal again. . .


End file.
